Process of opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl, and the like.



UNITED snares PglENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH ALBERT REICHMANN, OF BARMEN, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF OPENING FOR SPINNING AND WEAVING PURPOSES THE VEGETABLE FIBERS CONTAINED IN STRAW, GRASSES, BAST, HARL, AND THE LIKE.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'FRIEDRLCH ALBERT REICII .uixxx, a citizen of the Swedish Kingdom. residing at Barmen, in the Province of Rhenish Prussia and Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful improvements in processes for opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, 1

bast, harl,i' and the like; and I do hereby de exact description of the invention, such as it appertains to make and use the same.

It is a Well known fact that the demand for jute cannot be met. The so-called Silvalin and Licella yarns which have recently been placed on the market as substitutes for jute are, however, ill adapted for the manufacture of sacks,.packing and the like, as they do not produce a closure.

The subject-matter of the present application is a process by means of which the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast,

harl and similar raw materials can be opened and made serviceable for spinning and weaving purp ses, an nnexceptionable substitute for juti being produced which substitute in consequence of the straw materials from'which it is made being cheaply and easily procurable is not half the price of the cheapest sorts of jute. The opening of the fibers is effected b utilizing alkali lyes and hydrofluoric acid.

Attempts have hitherto been made to obtain from materials containing a very large proportion of cellulose fibers capable of bemg spun and woven. In" these attempts alkaline lyes and hydrofluoric acid both alone and also in conjunction With other chemical and mechanical methods of treat ment were employed. All these well known processes gave, however, no satisfactory result. On the contrary by means of the present new process in which alkaline lyes and hydrofluoric acid are used in a very definite peculiar manner, the problem in question is solved in a perfect manner.-

In carryingout the process the quantity of raw material, for example threshed ryestraw, to be worked up at the time, is put in a wooden or iron vessel provided with a heatin device and then a solution of caustic soda 0 a strength of 13 B. is poured over it and it -is boiled in the same until the gliadin is dissolved and the straw divides up readily into its fibers. After the dirty f lye has been runoff a cold caustic soda or f caustic potash solution of 15-20 Be. or of even higher concentration is poured over the fiber. The result of this is that the in dividual fibers curl. They are thus displaced relatively to one another and are so separated from one another. During the operation care must be taken that the lye clare the following to be a full, clear, and

penetrates everywhere and if desirable this must be assisted by stirring. After the acwill enable others skilled in the'art to which tion has continued suiificiently the lye is rej moved and the fibers are preferably washed with warm water \\'l11('ll may be collected and used again. Upon the fibers thus treated a solution of hydrofluoric acid of 12 B. is .poured and the silicic acid in the straw lixiriated therewith. This process must be carried out in a wooden or leaden vessel and iit may be performed either hot or cold.

Finally the material is washed and neutral ized with water to which small quantities of ammonia and chlorid of magnesium are added. After the material has been dried it may be fed into the cardlug-machine.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like'raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic alkaline solution until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold alkaline lye of l5*20 B. or higher concentration for" the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye, in adding asolution of hydrofluoric acid of 12 B. and in washing and neutralizing'the material.

2. Process for'opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained 1n straw, grasses, bast, bail and the like raw material, consistin in boiling said raw material in a caustic so a solution until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold alkaline lye of 1520 B. or higher concentration for the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of 12 Be. and in washing and neutralizing the material. I

3. Process for opening for spinning and centration for the purpose of separating the weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic soda solution of about 5 B. until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold alkaline lye of 1520 B. or higher confibers from one another, in removing said lye, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of 12 B. and in washing and neutralizing the material.

4. Process for opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in'straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic alkaline solution until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold alkaline lye of 1520 B. or higher concentration for the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye in washing the material with warm water, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of -12 B. and in 1washing and neutralizing the raw materia 5. Process for opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic alkaline solution until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold alkaline lye of 1520 B. or higher concentration for the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of 12 B. l and in washing and neutralizing the material with water containing small quantities of ammonia and chlorid'of magnesium.

6. Process for opening for spinning and weaving purposes'the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic alkaline solution until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold caustic soda lye of 1520 B. or higher concentration for the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of l2- Be, and in washing and neutralizing the material.

7. Process for opening for spinning and weaving purposes the vegetable fibers contained in straw, grasses, bast, harl and the like raw material, consisting in boiling said raw material in a caustic soda solution of about y B. until the gliadin is dissolved, in removing said solution, in adding a cold caustic soda lye of 1520 B. or higher concentration for the purpose of separating the fibers from one another, in removing said lye in washing the material with warm water, in adding a solution of hydrofluoric acid of l2 Be. and in washing and neutralizing the material with water containing small quantities of ammonia and chlorid of magnesium and in drying the material.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRIEDRICH ALBERT REICHMANN. [a sl] Witnesses:

OTTO KoNIG, WILLY KLEIN. 

